Step-ladder.



A. H. FRANKLIN.

STEP LADDER. l APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 1v. A1912.

1,087,286'. Patented m1111914 fig! mg? M "WMM COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

ARTHUR I-I. FRANKLIN, OF TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1*?, 1914.

Application lled August 17, 1912. Serial No. 715,554.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, ARTHUR I-I. FRANK- LIN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Traverse City, Vin the county of Grand Traverse and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Step-Ladders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to step ladders specially adapted to be used in orchards and on hill sides and uneven ground.

It embraces a step ladder proper, and hinged struts or legs therefor adapted to be extended at different angles to sustain the ladder at greater or less heights as desired. The legs or struts are independent of each other, and are both so attached to the ladder as to be capable of being extended from the ladder in any direction, front or sidewise, so that they can be extended in oppo site directions at the same time and each brace the steps against the other. In addition to these peculiarities, the construction is also adapted to lock the struts orlegs when extended in their extended positions. The construction by which these results are attained, is fully set forth below.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the invention showing it erected on a side hill. Fig. 2 is an enlarged partial elevation showing the rear side. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to t-he drawing, 5, 5 represents the risers and 6, 6 the treads forming the ladder portion of the device.

7 is the top or table of the ladder and as shown it is broader and heavier than the steps 6. To this top or table, a swinging and swiveled metal frame is attached by vertical hook bolt 9. This frame is best shown at Fig. 2 and consists of a substantially round and straight member 10 at the top, and a depending curved member 11 notched on the outer side and attached at either end to the outer ends of the straight member. The hook bolt 9 passes partially around the part 10 and so that said bolt serves as a bearing to the member 10 permitting the frame to make complete hori- Zontal turns on the bolt as an axis, and the bolt 9 also turns freely on its axis so that the frame is in effect swiveled to the top. To prevent any movement by the swivel frame lengthwise of the member 10, I pro- I vide the latter with an enlargement 10a at the point where the hook bolt encircles it, and also provide such enlargement with an opening 10b which is entered by the point of the hook. The straight member 10 is also provided with integral lateral wings 13, 13 near its center and to these wings the legs or struts 15 are bolted firmly by bolts 14, 14. The wings are provided with Aelongated slots in which the bolts 14 are en tered, and these slots allow the legs to move limited distances lengthwise after they are positioned, or when any weight is put upon the ladder. j

. While I have shown the invention applied t'o a step ladder in which the ladder portion consists of a stairway with tlat steps or treads, it will be understood that such is the preferred construction, and that the invention may be applied to structures in which the steps of the ladder are simply rounds instead of flat steps.

For strength, I prefer to place around the ends of the top or table flat metal straps 20, and to secure the ends of such straps to the risers 5. The legs o-r struts are also attached t-o the notched member of the frame 8 vby hook bolts 15 passing around the notched member, so that when the legs or struts move by reason of the weight on the ladder, the bolts 14 will be forced to slide along the slots in the wings 13, and the bolts 15 will iind seats in the notches of the notched member, and thus effect a locking of the legs or struts in position.

My step ladder can be used in a great variety of positions, and with the legs extended in front or to either side, or in opposite directions. Being swiveled as sta-ted, they are readily positioned or changed as desired, and usable on almost any kind of uneven or hilly ground.

It will be understood that the invention can be used with any step ladder, the ladder of which is provided with rounds instead of steps.

I claim 1. The orchard step ladder having its struts or legs swiveled to the step ladder proper upon a common vertical pivot.

2. The orchard step ladder having legs or struts hinged to the step ladder proper and also swiveled to it upon a commen vertical pivot.

3. The orchard step ladder having struts or legs each independently adjustable, said struts being both hinged to the step ladder proper and also sWiveled to it upon a common vertical pivot.

4. The orchard step ladder having its legs or struts sWiveled to the step ladder proper upon a common vertical pivot, and also hinged to the ladder proper so that both may be ext-ended in front or sideWise, in the same direction or in different directions.

5. The orchard step ladder havingya step ladder proper, a frame swiveled to said step ladder proper upon a vertical pivot permitting the frame to make complete revolutions about the pivot, and legs or struts hinged to said frame and extensible in various directions from the saine and means for locking the legs in their extended positions.

6. The orchard step ladder having a step ladder proper, a frame swiveled to said step ladder proper on a vertical pivot, legs or struts hinged to said frame and extensible in various directions therefrom, and means whereby the legs or struts may be locked in extended positions, said ineans including a notched surface on said frame.

7. An orchard step ladder having a step ladder proper, a frame swiveled to the top of said step ladder proper about a vertical pivot, said traine having two arcuate notched portions, a pair of legs pivoted to said frame and extensible in various directions therei'roni, and proj ect-ing elements on said legs adapted to engage with said notched surfaces to thereby hold the legs in extended position, substantially as specified.

8. An orchard step ladder having a step ladder proper, a frame swiveled to said step ladder, said traine having tivo arcuate notched portions, a pair of legs pivoted to said frame, the pivots being inovable in said traine, and ineinbers on each of said legs adapted to coperate and engage with said notched portions to thereby hold the legs in extended positions, substantially as specii tied.

ARTHUR H. FRANKLIN. lVitnesses WVM. H. UMLOR, LEoH E. KNEE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patente. Washington, D. C. 

